Automeris louisiana - Hodges#7749.1
Automeris louisiana
This record describes Automeris louisiana (species). Recorded family: Saturniidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Male and females are browner with less maculation than Automeris io , MPG images considered by Louisiana to be a Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) ( 4 )
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Bombycoidea
- Family
- Saturniidae (Giant Silkworm and Royal Moths)
- Subfamily
- Hemileucinae
- Tribe
- Hemileucini
- Genus
- Automeris
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Coastal areas of se TX to LA - Map (MPG)
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Brou reports cherry ( Prunus serotina ), red maple, red oak, white oak, water oak, choke cherry, sweet gum, and swamp gum. Other reports of Johnson grass and hackberry. Spartina alterniflora
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Automeris louisiana. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Automeris louisiana - Hodges#7749.1 (3)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Mike Quinn
Frequently Asked Questions About Automeris louisiana - Hodges#7749.1
What is Automeris louisiana - Hodges#7749.1?
Automeris louisiana - Hodges#7749.1 (Automeris louisiana) is a species in the family Saturniidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Automeris louisiana - Hodges#7749.1?
Forewing length 26-31 mm.
How do you identify Automeris louisiana - Hodges#7749.1?
Male and females are browner with less maculation than Automeris io , MPG images
Where is Automeris louisiana - Hodges#7749.1 found?
Range: Coastal areas of se TX to LA - Map (MPG)
What does Automeris louisiana - Hodges#7749.1 eat?
The diet of the Automeris louisiana - Hodges#7749.1 includes Brou reports cherry ( Prunus serotina ), red maple, red oak, white oak, water oak, choke cherry, sweet gum, and swamp gum. Other reports of Johnson grass and hackberry. Spartina alterniflora.